Reeving device



Dec. 12, 1967 c. w. STRAUS REEVING DEVICE Filed Nov. 25,1966

2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENT OR CLARK W STRAUS ATTORNEY Dec. 12, 1967 c. w. STRAUS REEVING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Shem 2 Filed Nov. 25, 1966 INVEN 1 OR CLARK W STRAUS' ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,357,392 REEVING DEVICE Clark W. Straus, Tonawanda, N.Y., assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Commandant of the United States Coast Guard Filed Nov. 25, 1966, Ser. No. 597,139

7 Claims. (Cl. 114230) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention described herein relates to a reeving device for threading a line or hawser through a mooring hook or ring or an object such as a buoy. A shuttle bar, to which the line is attached, is threaded through the mooring hook while held by the reeving device at a first portion. A trigger operatively connected to the reeving device, and actuated by engagement with the mooring hook, releases a retrieving hook which moves into engagement with the shuttle bar at a second portion. This second portion is located on the end of the shuttle bar which has been passed through the mooring hook. Upon engagement of the shuttle bar at its second portion, the shuttle bar is released from the reeving device where it has been held at its first portion. An object of the present invention is to maintain engagement between the reeving device and the first portion of the shutttle bar until after the retrieving hook has engaged the shuttle bar at its second portion. Upon release of the shuttle bar from its first portion and engagement of the shuttle bar at its second portion, the reeving device has completed threading the line through the mooring hook.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

The present invention relates to a reeving device for engaging or threading a hawser or other line to a remote object such as a mooring hook, eye, or ring, for example, of a buoy.

According to the present invention, a line or hawser which is to be reeved or threaded through the eye or hook of a mooring device on a remote object, such as a buoy, is attached to a threading device, such as a shuttle bar, which is firmly and releasably held by engaging means located on the end of a long shaft or pike pole. The shuttle bar, with the line attached thereto, is inserted through the mooring eye or hook until a trigger on the reeving device moves to a position whereby an arm pivoted on the reeving device and containing a retrieving hook is released. The retrieving hook swings through an arc and engages a retrieving ring located on one end of the shuttle bar. An instant after the retrieving hook engages the retrieving ring, hammer means engage a release pin which disengages the shuttle bar from the aforesaid engaging means. The retrieving hook remains attached to the retrieving ring on the shuttle bar, and the threading device is pulled toward the operator, thereby reeving the line through the buoys mooring hook or eye.

Heretofore, considerable difficulty has been experienced in attaching lines or hawsers to remote mooring rings and hooks, particularly in connection with the retrieving of buoys by buoy-tender ships. To date, little success has been achieved in developing a practical reeving device in that, with previous devices, many instances of faulty operation have resulted in the loss of the line which is to be reeved. Particularly during rough weather, it has been noted that threading devices in use up to the present have been prematurely triggered by the bobbing and 3,357,392 Patented Dec. 12, 1967 weaving of the object to be moored. Also, prior devices require the operator to perform multiple operations in effecting a successful attachment of the line to the object to be moored. A further disadvantage of prior reeving devices is that a portion of the hook or reeving device itself must be passed through the mooring ring or eye. During operations in rough seas, this presents the possibility of the reeving device becoming caught on the mooring hook, thereby applying a force to the reeving device itself thereby damaging the reeving device or wrenching it from the hands of the operator.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic line reeving device wherein a threading means or shuttle bar attached to a line or hawser is threaded through the object to be moored while being held in one position on the reeving tool, and then the threading means is engaged by a second portion of said reeving tool instantaneously prior to being release-d from its first position on the reeving tool.

A further object of this invention is to produce a simple and eflicient device by which a hawser or line may be quickly and conveniently threaded automatically through the eye or ring of an object which is remotely situated, thereby enabling mooring to be accomplished quickly and easily without the difliculty ordinarily experienced in that operation.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a line reeving device wherein the operation is automatic. In the present invention, no action is required of the operator of the device after the threading means is placed through a ring or eye afiixed to the object to be moored. The flange surrounding the ring or eye automatically actuates a trigger means which initiates operation, there by reventing premature actuation of the reeving device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a line reeving device wherein threading means, once passed through a mooring eye or ring, can easily be withdrawn from said eye or ring if extraordinary circumstances exist.

A further object of the present device is to provide positive locking action between the threading means or shuttle bar, and the engaging means on the tool. Past devices of this type have used less desirable tension, friction, and spring loaded means to effect engagement between the reeving device and threading means.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device wherein tension on the line to be reeved at the time of its operation is immaterial to the successful performance of the device.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a line reeving tool wherein a threading device or shuttle bar attached to the line does not itself become prematurely disengaged from said reeving device, thereby lessening the possible chance for error.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a line reeving device whereby the shuttle bar or threading means is the only portion of the device which is placed through the eye or ring of the object to be moored. This prevents any hooking of or engagement with the eye or ring by the tool itself, thereby eliminating the possibility of the reeving device becoming dislodged from the hands of the operator.

A further object of the present invention is to provide in a line reeving tool, a shuttle bar or threading device which is engaged by the tool at one portion thereof; and upon operation of the tool, is engaged at a second portion, while the first portion is not released until a time subsequent to engagement of the shuttle bar by the tool at its second portion. This permits positive en- A further object of the present invention is to provide a line reeving device wherein an unlatching hammer arm is operatively associatedwith and angularly offset relative to a shuttle retrieving hook. This results in the retrieving hook engaging the threading device prior to the shuttle being released from the reeving device.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a line reeving hook comprising a trigger mechanism which insures positive engagement of the threading device during and subsequent to operation of the tool. Previous reeving hooks have proved unreliable either as a result of premature tripping of their threading means engaging devices, or failure to engage the threading means or shuttle bar after operation.

Other objects, features, and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be appreciated more readily as the same becomes understood by the references to the following detailed description, when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, where like parts are identified in each of the several figures by the same reference character, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a reeving device in accordance with the present invention showing the relative position of the parts of the device after the threading means has been engaged by the retrieving hook immediately subsequent to its attachment to the object to be moored;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the present invention similar to FIG. 1, illustrating the position of the relative parts of the device in their respective positions prior to engaging the threading means with the object to be moored;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the reeving device in accordance with the present invention illustrating its application as a threading means for an object to be. moored;

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the present invention taken substantially along the line 4-4 of FIG. 5;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are side elevations of a portion of the reeving device of the present invention substantially along the lines 55 and 66 of FIG. 4, disclosing the offset relationship between the retrieving hook means and the hammer means; and

FIG. 7 is a view of the shuttle bar or threading means which forms a part of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 1, there is shown a housing 10 which is aflixed to an elongated shaft or pike pole 12 by suitable means, such as bolt 14. The housing 10, which may be made of metal or other suitable material, is formed with a channel 16 at the extreme outer end thereof. Lightening holes 11 are provided in housing 10 for the purpose of lessening the total outboard weight of the reeving device. One end of the channel 16 comprises an abutment 18 which extends throughout the transverse length of channel 16. The height of the abutment 18 is substantially less than the walls 17 of the channel 16.

Releasably engaging the outer end of housing 10 within the groove 16 are threading means comprising the shuttle bar 20. The shuttle bar20, shown in detail in FIG. 7, is substantially longitudinal in dimension. Aflixed to one end of shuttle bar 29 is an engageable portion comprising retrieving ring 22 which is substantially circular in configuration. At the opposite end of shuttle bar is affixcd a ring or other suitable attachment means 24 to which is attached a hawser or rope 26 which is to be threaded through the ring or eye of a remote object, such as buoy 27 (FIG. 3). A lateral groove 28 is located on shuttle bar 20 perpendicular to the longitudinal axis thereof. Groove 28 engages abutment 18 to provide alignment for the shuttle bar 20 when it is engaged by housing 10 as shown in FIG. 1. Retrieving ring 22 is thus maintained in a plane perpendicular to that of elongate shaft 12 for purposes to be more fully explained herein.

Shuttle bar 20 is releasably held in engagement at a 1 portion thereof with housing 10 by means of a releasing member 30. Releasing member 30 is an L-shaped member extending over channel 16 and shuttle bar 20, thereby maintaining engagement between shuttle bar 20 and housing 10 when in the position shown in FIG. 2. As is more clearly shown in FIG. 6, affixed to releasing member 30 is a releasing pin 32 which is slidably mounted in and extends through hole 34 provided in housing 10. Spring means 36 is locatedin a hollow portion of releasing pin 32 and bears against pin 33 which is fixed to housing 10. Pin 33 is slidable relative to slot 35 in releasing pin 32. The opposite end of spring means 36 biases releasing pin 32 and said releasing member 30 to a forward position whereby the releasing member 30 closes over channel 16 and holds shuttle bar 20 in engagement with housing 10. Releasing pin 32 is longer than the length of hole 34, and therefore protrudes beyond the face of housing 10 when in its forward or engaging position.

Extending through a lower portion of the housing 10 is an arm 38 which is suitably mounted for rotation with respect to housing 10. A spring 40, shown in detail in FIG. 4, operatively connected between the housing 10 and arm 38 biases arm 38 towards the position shown in FIG. 1. In the embodiment of the present invention as shown in FIG. 1, the arm 38 is bent at a portion thereof at right angles, and comprises an engaging means on one end thereof consisting of a retrieving hook 42 which is affixed to arm 38 by suitable means such as rivets 44. The hook 42 is a quick acting halyard type hook, the construction of which is clearly illustrated in FIG. 3 of the accompanying drawings. When the arm 58 is in the position shown in FIG. 1, the retrieving hook 42 snaps into engagement with retrieving ring 22, which is aflixed to shuttle bar 20. The groove 28 and the abutment 18 insure proper alignment of the shuttle bar 20 in the housing 10, so that the retrieving hook 42 will engage the retrieving ring 22 when the arm 38 rotates, as will be more fully described herein.

A portion of arm 38 extends through housing 10 and comprises on this extension a squared abutment 46. Squared abutment 46 is shown in detail in FIG. 6. Hammer means 48, comprising an L-shaped member with a square hole 50 at one end thereof, is affixed to squared abutment 46 providing positive engagement between arm 38 and hammer means 48. Hammer means 48 is maintained in rigid connection with the squared abutment 46 and the arm 38 by suitable means such as screw 52. The other end of hammer means 48 comprises an extension 49 which extends across housing 10 and is engageable with the portion of releasing pin 32 which protrudes beyond the face of housing 10. As the arm 38 is rotated by means of the spring 40, hammer means 48 engages releasing pin 32 and moves releasing pin 32 through housing 10,-thereby simultaneously moving releasing member 30 in a rearward direction against the force of spring means 36.

Attached to housing 16 by means of a pivot screw 54 is a trigger means 56 which comprises a longitudinal member extending substantially along the length of housing 10. Trigger means 56 is rotatable about screw 54. One end of trigger means 56 comprises a raised holding portion 58, the utility of which will be more fully discussed in connection with FIG. 2.

Referring now to FIG. 2, it will be noted that the arm 38, to which is affixed the retrieving hook 42 and the hammer means 48, is rotated through an obtuse angle relative to its position shown in FIG. 1. In FIG. 2, the device is shown in its cocked position, ready for use. In this position, extension 49 of hammer means 48 is held under the raised holding portion 58 of the trigger 56. Since the hammer means 48 and the retrieving hook 42 are rigidly connected to each other through arm 38 and squared abutment 46, when hammer means 48 is held in its cocked position the retrieving hook 42 is correspondingly held in the disengaged position shown in FIG. 2. Also, when the trigger 56 is holding the hammer means 48 in its cocked position, a portion of trigger means 56 extends beyond the edge of housing in the same direction as the extension of the shuttle bar to which is afiixed the retreiving ring 22. Movement of trigger means 56 in a clockwise direction about pivot screw 54 will release hammer means 48, permitting the spring 40 to rotate arm 38 and retrieving hook 42 to the position shown in FIG. 1.

The operation of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 3, which is a perspective view showing the sequence of operations and the function of a preferred embodiment. Buoy 27 includes a fiange 59 attached thereto comprising a mooring ring or eye through which it is desired to pass a line or hawser 26. Hawser 26 is attached to the threading device or shuttle means 20 as described in connection with FIG. 1. The reeving device, which is affixed to one end of elongate shaft 12, is brought into engagement with ring 25, through which shuttle bar 20 is passed. Retrieving ring 22 is now located on the opposite side of the eye 25 from the remainder of the reeving device, and housing 10. Trigger means 56 holds extension 49 of hammer means 48 in its cocked position, thereby maintaining arm 38, hammer means 48, and retrieving hook 42 in the position shown in FIG. 2. As shuttle 22 is passed through eye 25, flange 59 engages trigger means 56, forcing trigger means 56 to rotate in a clockwise direction about pivot screw 54. This rotation causes the raised holding portion 58 of the trigger means 56 to release extension 49 of hammer means 48. Spring 40 then causes arm 38 to rotate with respect to housing 10, causing retrieving hook 42 to engage retrieving ring 22. Hammer means 48, which is rigidly connected to arm 38, also rotates, and extension 49 of hammer means 48 engages releasing pin 32, forcing releasing pin 32 to move against the force of spring :36.

As is clearly shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, hammer means 48 is affixed to arm 38 in an offset relation relative to housing 10 and retrieving hook 42. When in the engaged position as disclosed in FIG. 1, arm 38 is on a line approximately five degrees off of the center line of housing 10 (FIG. 5), and hammer means 48 is on a line approximately fourteen degrees off of the center line of housing 10 (FIG. 6). These dimensions may vary, of course, according to the relative dimensions of housing 10 and the remainder of the reeving device. As a result of the offset relationship between arm 38 and hammer means 48, retrieving hook 42 engages retrieving ring 22 an instant before extension 49 of hammer means 48 engages said releasing pin 32. Upon movement of releasing pin 32 rearwardly against the force of spring 36, as shown in FIG. 6, releasing member slidably moves across the top of housing 10, thereby opening channel 16 and enabling shuttle means 20 to be released from housing 10. Note that this does not occur until after retrieving hook 42 has engaged retrieving ring 22. The operator holding elongate shaft 12 then retrieves the shaft, thereby threading the hawser 26 attached to the shuttle bar 20 through the eye 25 of te buoy 27. The hawser or line 26 has then been threaded through the eye or ring 25 of the buoy 27 while the buoy was at a point remote from the station from which the operator was functioning.

From the foregoing description, it can be appreciated that the present invention provides a new device for automatically reeving a line or a hawser through a mooring ring or eye wherein a shuttle afiixed to the line or hawser to be reeved is firmly held by the device until after a retrieving hook firmly engages an opposite end of the shuttle, thereby preventing premature release of the shuttle. The

present invention is an extremely simple, inexpensive,

rugged, and easily operated device for accomplishing the aforesaid purposes.

In the light of the above description, it is believed obvious that other modifications and variations of the invention will be suggested to those skilled in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that changes may be made inaccessible mooring point comprising:

threading means attached to said object for making initial contact with said mooring point;

said threading means having first and'second engageable portions;

first engaging means for releasably engaging said threading means at said first engageable portion;

second engaging means operatively connected to said first engaging means for engaging said threading means at said second engageable portion;

releasing means for releasing said threading means from said first engaging means;

and means for preventing release of said threading means from said first engaging means until said second engaging means has engaged said threading means at said second engageable portion.

2. The device described in claim 1 wherein said threading means comprises:

a substantially longitudinal shuttle means having two ends;

a retrieving ring affixed to one end of said shuttle means, and attachment means aflixed to the other end of said shuttle means for attaching said object to be threaded to said threading means.

3. The device described in claim 2 wherein said threading means includes a lateral groove perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension of said shuttle means located at said first engageable portion; and

wherein said first engaging means includes a lateral abutment thereon which engages said lateral groove in said threading means when said threading means is engaged by said first engaging means.

4. The device described in claim 1 wherein said second engaging means comprises:

arm means rotatably connected to said first engaging means;

first spring means biasing said arm means in a rotatable sense relative to said first engaging means;

retrieving hook means affixed to said arm means and moveable into engagement with said threading means at said second engageable portion thereof upon rotation of said arm means.

5. The device described in claim 4 wherein:

said releasing means comprises a member slidably connected to said first engaging means and removably extending over said threading means at said first engageable portion when said threading means is engaged by said first engaging means;

said member moveable from a first holding position to a second release position;

a releasing pin affixed to said member and slidably mounted in said first engaging means;

second spring means biasing said member and said releasing pin towards said first holding position;

hammer means affixed to said arm means and rotatable therewith;

said hammer means engageable with said releasing pin whereby when said hammer means engages said releasing pin said member is moved from said first holding position to said second release position.

6. The device described in claim 5 including:

trigger means rotatably connected to said first engaging means;

said trigger means releasably holding said hammer means and said retrieving hook means in a non-engaging position whereby movement of said trigger means enables said first spring means to rotate said retrieving hook means into engagement with said threading device and said hammer means into engagement with said releasing pin.

8 7, The device described in claim 6 wherein: v g g References Cited said'harnmer means vis afiixed to said arin means in an UNITED S PA N S offset relation'relative to said retrieving hook means 2,979,013 4/1961 Whittau i whereby upon movement of said trigger means, said Y Y w retrieving hook engages said threading device before .5 FOREIGN PATENTS saidhammerengages' said releasing pin thereby pre- 287,407 3/ 1928 Great Britain.

venting release of said threading device from said x I first engaging means nntil said retrieving hook means MILTON BUCHLER PHmary Exammerhas engaged said threading means. T. M. BLIX, Assistant Examiner, 

1. A DEVICE FOR PASSING AN OBJECT AROUND A NORMALLY INACCESSIBLE MOORING POINT COMPRISING: THREADING MEANS ATTACHED TO SAID OBJECT FOR MAKING INITIAL CONTACT WITH SAID MOORING POINT; SAID THREADING MEANS HAVING FIRST AND SECOND ENGAGEABLE PORTIONS; FIRST ENGAGING MEANS FOR RELEASABLY ENGAGING SAID THREADING MEANS AT SAID FIRST ENGAGEABLE PORTION; SECOND ENGAGING MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID FIRST ENGAGING MEANS FOR ENGAGING SAID THREADING MEANS AT SAID SECOND ENGAGEABLE PORTION; RELEASING MEANS FOR RELEASING SAID THREADING MEANS FROM SAID FIRST ENGAGING MEANS; AND MEANS FOR PREVENTING RELEASE OF SAID THREADING MEANS FROM SAID FIRST ENGAGING MEANS UNTIL SAID SECOND ENGAGING MEANS HAS ENGAGED SAID THREADING MEANS AT SAID SECOND ENGAGEABLE PORTION. 